Crimping tool



Aug. 14, 1945. J B DE I 2,382,401"

' CRIMPING TOOL Filed Sept. 17, 1942 :JYWQ/WM James 131. Danni-5 me of any royalty thereon. I

Patented Aug. 14, 1945 a mr CRIMPING TOOL James B. DennisQWest Lanham HillsQMd.

, Application September 17, racemes-am. 458;664 I 40am. (olpss-jstif i (Granted under the act of March- 3,, as? amendcd-April iill 1928 ;,3,710,-0; G. 75 7) The invention described herein may benianufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes, without thepayment to This invention relates to apparatus for*crimping cartridge cases to secure projectiles therein. It is adapted particularly for any large sized fixed ammunition where the crimping is secured by forming circumferential or peripheral dents in the cartridge case metal a short distance below.

the end of the case, the inner surfaceofthese .dentsengagingina grooveformed in the exterior of the projectile.

An object of the invention is to provide a crimping tool assembly which is very simple in character and in its mode of operation, and which will permit the insertion of a loaded cartridge into the machine so that one end of the cartridge is wholly free. A further object is to provide a crimping tool assembly which will produce no axial reactions on the cartridge so that in its operation, an operator may insert a cartridge into the machine, effect the crimp, and

invention is to produce a crimping groove in the cartridge which will be substantially coextensive with the periphery of the case, thus anchoring the projectile more firmly in the case than has been accomplished by previous methods. The previous system included the formation of a plurality ofshort segmental dents in the cartridge case which, though giving fair security, were not as efiective in retaining the projectile in the case as the present system.

A better understanding of the details of the invention will be gained in reading the annexed detailed description in connection with the drawing, in which:

Figure l is a longitudinal sectionthrough the elements of the mechanism, and

Figure 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1. I

In Figure 1, H] represents a support or table having a threaded opening in which is screwed an abutment ll having a flat top 12 and having a threaded recess l3 into which is screwed a bushing M having a tapered bore P5. The bore I5 is complementary to the tapered part of a cartridge case l6, so that, when the case is passed through the bushing M from below, the bushing provides a positive stop to locate the case for a certain axial position with respect to the top face I2 of the abutment H. Above the abut- 'Inent'isa re'ciproca-ble sleeve IT, hollow as at l8 te -provide clearance for the projectile IQ of the cartridge'qwhen the' latter is in the position shown. f'lihe top of. the sleeve His carried by a press'ram, a portion of which is shownat 20.

The bottom end of the sleeve ll'is 'intefiorly chamfered asat 21', and fitted to this chamfer'ed surface are'a plurality ofsegmen'ts 22 eachhav- 'ing-a tap'eredportion 2-3; engaging the" sleeve *eh'amfer- 2| and having projecting beads 2-4 which, when the segments 22 are-moved radially inwardly against the cartridge-case 1"6- form-" a crimping groove therein. 'I-he se'gments '22--are loosely securedto'the sleeve- I by studs 26 passing through slots 21 in the sleeve, the studs-being screwed into the segments and having springs 28 and nuts 29 so that the'segments may not drop away from the sleeve.

In operation, the sleeve 11 is raised slightly from the abutment l2 allowing the segments 22 to move radially outwardly. A cartridge is inserted through the bore l5 as far as it will go, whereupon the sleeve I1 is lowered forcing the elements 22 inwardly to crimp the cartridge case by virtue of the camming action of the sleeve upon the conical portions 23 of ,the segments. The bottom surfaces of the segments bear against the face l2 of the abutment II which prevents the segments from'moving axially along the cartridge case or from causing any axial force reaction upon the cartridge case. Upon raising of the sleeve I I, the segments 22 are freed from the cartridge caseand the latter may be withdrawn from the tool assembly.

The use of a plurality of crimping segments 22 allows of the formation of a circumferen- With proper proportioning, the crimping assembly may be adapted for several different types or calibers of projectiles. The only elements which need be changed to adapt the apparatus for different projectiles would be the bushing I 4 and the crimping segments 22.

' It is obvious that this apparatus may readily be adapted for use as a production tool or alternately it may be used for a hand-loading setup. The shape'of the crimping projections 24 should be so chosen as to minimize the possibilities of cracking in the cartridge cases which, as it is well known, are usually made of brass.

While I have described my invention in detail in its present preferred embodiment, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art, after understanding my invention, that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit or scope thereof. I aim in the appended claims to cover all such modifications and changes.

What I claim is:

1. In a crimping assembly for a cylindrical member, a stationary base for the said assembly having an aperture for guiding and locating the member'and having a plane surface normal to the member axis, a plurality of projection-carrying segments arranged around the member resting on said plane surface and slidable thereon, said segments having conical outer portions and the projections thereof being'adapted to engage and deform said member, and a 'reciprocable sleeve adapted to be pressed downwardly relatively to the said stationary base into engagement with conical portions of said segmentsto move them inwardly for crimping said member. 2. In a crimping assembly for securing projectiles in tapered cartridge cases, a-support having an opening through which the projectile and a portion of the case is passed, a bushing secured to the support within said opening having a taper complementary to'the case taper to provide axial location for the case and to guage the faces engaged with the said ram chamfer, whereby relative axial movement of the said elements and the ram effects inward movement of the elements into engagement with the cartridge case, the said ram being provided near its said open end with a plurality of slots equal to the said plurality of segmental elements, the segmental elements being provided with stud bolts passing through the respective ones of the said ram slots, and springs at the distal ends of the said bolts compressed upon the said axial movement of the ram and adapted upon the return movement of the ram to effect outward movement of the elements away from the cartridge case.

'4. In a ma'chinefor securing a projectile in a. cartridge case, a stationary horizontal base having an aperture therethrough for guiding and locating the projectile and having a plane surface normal'to the axis of said case, a plurality of segments each having a flat undersurface in sliding contact with said plane surface whereby truehorizontal movement of the segments is assured, said segments-being provided adjacent their lower inner peripheries with case indenting means, and with outer conical portions, a

reciprocable hollow sleeve above the segments for the reception of the projectile, said sleeve being provided with means coacting with said conical portions of the segments upon the downward movement of the sleeve to simultaneously move said segments inwardly to dent the case into locking engagement with the projectile.

"JAMES B. DENNIS. 

